The buyer remains unknown. (Concierge Auctions)
Auction dynamics in the Manhattan luxury market
A historic Manhattan penthouse set inside a gold leaf dome has sold at auction for $9 million, ending a 530 day stretch on the market that saw its original asking price cut by 64 percent. The landmark home atop the historic Sohmer Piano Building in the Flatiron District was first listed for $25 million in November 2024 by technology entrepreneur and philanthropist Greg Carr. Through his foundation, he has personally committed more than $100 million to habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and community development programs in Mozambique. Listing details provided by Sotheby’s International Realty agents Claire Groome and Lawrence Treglia, who co-marketed the home alongside Concierge Auctions, confirmed the auction bidding closed on July 29, 2026, landing the final sale price at $9 million. By taking the property to live auction, the seller secured a firm sale after 530 days of a static listing, freeing up funds for the ongoing conservation projects in Africa.
After failing to find a buyer through traditional channels, the unit was sold through Concierge Auctions as part of its live “America 250” sale in New York City, according to real estate reporting by the New York Post and CityRealty. “I work in Africa, and I go home for holidays in Idaho,” Carr told reporters, as cited in marketing coverage published by property blog Francis York, “so it wasn’t leaving a lot of time for New York. Carr, a co-founder of Boston Technology, pledged to send all net proceeds from the sale to the Gorongosa Project, a conservation effort focused on restoring Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park and supporting the surrounding communities. Carr has spent more than two decades putting his personal fortune toward philanthropy following his success in the tech industry. Explaining his decision to sell the Manhattan property, Carr pointed to his changing routine and work commitments overseas. The steep price cut reflects wider shifts in Manhattan’s high-end property market, where unique or highly customized luxury homes often sit on the market for a long time before reaching a realistic price through competitive bidding. The identity of the buyer who purchased the gold-domed penthouse has not yet been made public in official deed transfer records.